From the book flap:

Anna Bloom is depressed—so depressed that her parents have committed her to a mental hospital with a bunch of other messed-up teens. Here she meets a roommate with a secret (and a plastic baby), a doctor who focuses way too much on her weight, and a cute, shy boy who just might like her.

But wait! Being trapped in a loony bin isn’t supposed to be about making friends, losing weight, and having a crush, is it?

In her fiction debut, Julie Halpern finds humor in the unlikeliest of places, and presents a character whose voice—and heart—will resonate with all of us who have ever felt just a little bit crazy.

Reviews:

"Debut author Halpern drew from her own teen experiences with depression, and Anne’s voice, filled with spot-on musings, sarcasm, slang, and swearing, is uproariously funny and authentic... Many teens will connect with the vague anxiety that lands Anna in treatment as well as her subtle, realistic sense that her life is her own to value and shape." -Booklist

"This story is engaging, the characters sound real, the writing is refreshing and natural, and the descriptions of the situations
are hilarious!" -teensreadtoo.com

"In funny, easygoing prose, 16-year-old Anna writes letters while spending three difficult, involuntary weeks in a mental institution... This is an appealingly comic cousin of Carolyn Mackler’s The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (2003)." -Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will cheer for Anna as she gains confidence in herself, dares to rebel a little, and gets well as she goes back to her life." -VOYA


Interviews:

Little Willow interviews me at Bildungsroman

Interview with The YA YA YAs

Teensreadtoo.com interview with Christian C

Book Chic MySpace Interview

Author Jessica Burkhart Interviews Me